Yip & Howl

Blog posts, photographs, and news from the coyote perspective.

Myth Busting 101: Coyote Statistics

Number of deaths from hornets, wasps, and bees in the U.S. per year: 60 

Average number of deaths caused by cows and horses in the U.S. per year: 42 

Average number of deaths caused by pet dogs each year in the U.S.: 30

Number of deaths from animal attacks at zoos and circuses since 1990: 68

Number of deaths caused by exotic pets in the U.S. between 1990-2011: 45

Number of deaths caused by black bears in the U.S. from 1970 to present day: 39

Number of deaths caused by cougars in the U.S. from 1970 to present day: 26 

Number of deaths caused by vending machines in the U.S. each year: 10-13

Number of deaths caused by coyotes in the U.S. in all of recorded history: 1

A 3-year-old child was killed by a coyote in 1981. The child died from injuries after being attacked by a coyote who had been fed regularly by someone in the neighborhood. In Canada, a young folk singer was tragically killed by two coyotes while hiking in the woods, so that brings the number to 2 for both the U.S. and Canada. Despite the coyote’s expansion into every area of the U.S., human-coyote conflicts remain low. And most that do occur are preventable.

Please watch this excellent informative video about real coyote statistics and what they mean.

COYOTE MISMANAGEMENT

“History and numerous biological studies have proven over and over again that trying to control coyote populations by killing them is like trying to put out a fire with kerosene.  The more coyotes that are killed, the more females produce pups that year, and they have larger litters.  These pups have a larger percentage of survivability. Larger litters need larger prey to feed them – deer hunters, are you listening?

Don’t let the coyote hunters fool you –  they are not doing you any favors- They are the ones creating this problem by hunting and killing coyotes- and for fun no less...” - Elise Able, federally licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator and licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator, NY

Coyote as ScapeGoat

“What is the ‘risk of Coyote’ in perspective with other wildlife? Let’s take the White-tailed Deer. An average of 200 people each year die from collisions with deer on highways in North America. Thousands more contract Lyme’s disease from rising population of deer and thus deer ticks. And family dogs? About 40 people each year in N.A. are killed from the results of domesticated dog attacks. How about dogs killing other dogs or killing cats? The numbers are through the roof. How about Coyotes? The average human deaths per year caused by Coyotes – zero.”